When Phyllis Yaffe was making the Omnimax Theatre dream a reality at the Ontario Science Centre, then acting ceo Debra Feldman saw her working style up close, and it left an impression: ‘I’m a fan!’ she says.

Chair of the board of trustees for the osc from 1991 to 1997, Yaffe believed strongly that the addition of the theatre and redesign of the entrance building would revitalize the centre and boost declining attendance by encouraging repeat visitors.

‘The idea had been circulating for a number of years, but it was Phyllis’ vision,’ says Feldman. ‘She championed the idea, she aggressively pursued the funding from the provincial government and really made the dream come alive. [She has] the ability to sell and have people buy into a dream.

‘It was a radical change for the Science Centre and she secured the provincial government funding for the expansion. She was very resourceful and visionary in pushing through that major change for the Ontario Science Centre.

‘At the helm of a $20-million institution there are always issues that come up. She is a really quick study. She was passionate about what was best for the centre, passionate about what was best for the visitors, best for the organization. She’s tough, she’s very clear about what is right and what is wrong. She’s decisive and she’s solution-oriented. Whenever an issue arose, she was right there with us, rolling up her sleeves and making sure we settled with a solution that was best for the place. She was willing to take a tough stance because she is guided by what she believes to be right.

‘I have enormous respect for Phyllis. She is extremely competent and she doesn’t back down. She is clear about what she is focused on and creative in achieving what she puts her mind to.’

And was Yaffe’s vision about the theatre right?

Feldman happily reports, ‘With the addition of the theatre we saw an increase [in attendance] of 20%, and that has remained steady. We are the only cultural attraction with over a million visitors [and] we’re holding at a million, which is incredible in this competitive environment. I think it was Phyllis’ vision that refocused us on revitalizing the organization.’